Technical Circular No.: 014/2015 Date: 4th June 2015 To Whomsoever it may concern Subject: Carriage of Blends of Petroleum Oil and Biofuels on Tankers. 1. Guidelines contained in MEPC.1/Circ.761/Rev.1 of date 1 February 2013, issued by IMO (copy attached) regarding carriage requirements of blends of petroleum oil and biofuels clarify how biofuels subject to Annex II of MARPOL, when blended with petroleum oils referred in Annex I of MARPOL, can be shipped in bulk. The guidelines clarify that Biofuel blends based on the volumetric compositions of the blends are subject to MARPOL Annexes as under: i. When containing 75 % or more of petroleum oil, the biofuel blend is subject to Annex I of MARPOL and also referred in Section 4.1 of the MEPC.1/Circ.761/Rev.1. ii. When containing more than 1 per cent but less than 75% of petroleum oil, the biofuel blends are subject to Annex II of MARPOL and should be carried under conditions as detailed in Section 4.2 of the MEPC.1/Circ.761/Rev.1. iii. When containing 1 per cent or less of petroleum oil, the biofuel blends are subject to Annex II of MARPOL and also referred in Section 4.3 of the MEPC.1/Circ.761/Rev.1. 2. Further to the above Circular, IMO has adopted vide Resolution MEPC.240(65) of date 17th May 2013 Amendments to the revised Guidelines and Specifications for Oil Discharge Monitoring and Control Systems for Oil Tankers Res. MEPC 108(49) (copy attached). In the type approval test “Biofuel” is added and reference is made also to the latest ISO standards. The amendments to the revised Guidelines and specifications provide for testing of the Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment (ODME) for capability to detect the biofuel blends containing 75 percent or more of petroleum oil. 3. Section 4.1.2 of the Rev 1 of the MEPC.1/Circ.761 recommends that an oil tanker carrying biofuel blends containing 75percent or more of petroleum oil will be required to carry ODME which should be approved for the mixture being transported. Based on above all ODME newly approved will have to comply with MEPC.108(49) as amended by MEPC.240 (65). 4. Also, from January 1, 2016, the oil tankers which intend to carry the bio-fuel blend containing 75 per cent or more of petroleum oil, the ship's ODME should be in compliance with MEPC.240 (65). If not, the ODME should be replaced with a compliant one. This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority. 5. Further to the above in accordance with Section 4.1.4 of the Revised Guidelines as referred in Rev 1 of the MEPC.1/Circ.761 undermentioned requirement will also be applicable: When carrying biofuel blends containing more than 5% of ethyl alcohol, alcohol resistant foams should be used when considering the deck fire-fighting system requirements of SOLAS chapter II-2, regulations 1.6.1 and 1.6.2. 6. This circular is being issued to bring to the notice of all Ship-owners, ship-operators & Ship-managers, that if their tankers are intending to carry biofuel blends from January 1, 2016, the ODME fitted should be approved as per MEPC 108 (49) as amended by MEPC.240 (65) for each individual biofuel blend containing 75% or more of petroleum oil being transported. Enclosure: 1) MEPC.1/Circ.761/Rev.1 dated 1st February 2013 2) MEPC.240 (65) adopted on 17th May 2013 Whilst the utmost care has been taken in the compilation of the Technical Information, neither Indian Register of Shipping, its affiliates and subsidiaries if any, nor any of its directors, officers, employees or agents assume any responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused in any manner whatsoever by reliance on the information in this document. E 4 ALBERT EMBANKMENT LONDON SE1 7SR Telephone: +44 (0)20 7735 7611 Fax: +44 (0)20 7587 3210 MEPC.1/Circ.761/Rev.1 1 February 2013 2011 GUIDELINES FOR THE CARRIAGE OF BLENDS OF PETROLEUM OIL AND BIOFUELS, AS AMENDED 1 The Marine Environment Protection Committee, at its sixty-second session (11 to 15 July 2011), recognizing the need to clarify how biofuels subject to MARPOL Annex II, when blended with petroleum oils, subject to Annex I of MARPOL, can be shipped in bulk, approved the 2011 Guidelines for the carriage of blends of petroleum oil and biofuels and agreed that these should become operative from 1 September 2011. 2 At its sixty-fourth session (1 to 5 October 2012), the Marine Environment Protection Committee approved amendments to the 2011 Guidelines, as set out in annex 3 of document BLG 16/16, relating to deck fire-fighting system requirements and the fire protection assignment (column l) given for the entry "Biofuel blends of Gasoline and Ethyl alcohol (>25% but <99% by volume)". 3 The 2011 Guidelines have accordingly been amended as set out in the annex. 4 Member Governments and international organizations are invited to bring the annexed Guidelines to the attention of Administrations, recognized organizations, port authorities, shipowners, ship operators and other parties concerned. 5 This circular revokes MEPC.1/Circ.761. *** I:\CIRC\MEPC\01\761-Rev-1.doc MEPC.1/Circ.761/Rev.1 Annex, page 1 ANNEX 2011 GUIDELINES FOR THE CARRIAGE OF BLENDS OF PETROLEUM OIL AND BIOFUELS, AS AMENDED 1 APPLICATION 1.1 These guidelines apply to ships when carrying in bulk blends of petroleum oil and biofuels subject to Annex I and Annex II of MARPOL, respectively. 2 SCOPE 2.1 These Guidelines have been developed to clarify how biofuels subject to Annex II of MARPOL, when blended with petroleum oils, subject to Annex I of MARPOL, can be shipped in bulk. 3 DEFINITIONS For the purpose of these guidelines: 3.1 Biofuels are ethyl alcohol, fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), vegetable oils (triglycerides) and alkanes (C10-C26), linear and branched with a flashpoint of either 60°C or less or more than 60°C, as identified in chapters 17 and 18 of the IBC Code or the MEPC.2/Circular/tripartite agreements. Following the distribution of these guidelines, further biofuels identified as falling under the scope of the guidelines, will be recorded in annex 11 of the MEPC.2/Circular which deals with biofuel/petroleum oil blends. 3.2 Biofuel blends are mixtures resulting from the blending of those products identified in paragraph 3.1 above with a petroleum oil. 4 CARRIAGE OF BIOFUEL BLENDS The carriage provision for biofuel blends is based on the volumetric composition of the blends as follows: 4.1 Biofuel blends containing 75 per cent or more of petroleum oil 4.1.1 When containing 75 per cent or more of petroleum oil, the biofuel blend is subject to Annex I of MARPOL. 4.1.2 When carrying such biofuel blends, Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment (ODME – see resolution MEPC.108(49)) shall be in compliance with regulation 31 of Annex I of MARPOL and should be approved for the mixture being transported. 4.1.3 Until 1 January 2016 biofuel blends may be carried when the ship's ODME is not in compliance with paragraph 4.1.2 above provided that tank residues and all tank washings are pumped ashore. 4.1.4 When considering the deck fire-fighting system requirements of SOLAS chapter II-2, regulations 1.6.1 and 1.6.2, when carrying biofuel blends containing more than 5 per cent of ethyl alcohol then alcohol resistant foams should be used. I:\CIRC\MEPC\01\761-Rev-1.doc MEPC.1/Circ.761/Rev.1 Annex, page 2 4.2 Biofuel blends containing more than 1 per cent but less than 75% of petroleum oil 4.2.1 When containing more than 1 per cent but less than 75% of petroleum oil, the biofuel blends are subject to Annex II of MARPOL and should be carried under the following conditions: a c d e f g h i' i'' i''' j k l n o Biofuel blends of Diesel/gas X S/P 2 2G Cont No - - Yes C T ABC No 15.12, oil and FAME 15.17, (>25% but <99% by volume) 15.19.6 Biofuel blends of Diesel/gas X S/P 2 2G Cont No - - Yes C T ABC No 15.12, oil and Vegetable oil 15.17, (>25% but <99% by volume) 15.19.6 Biofuel blends of Gasoline X S/P 2 2G Cont No T3 IIA No C F-T A No 15.12, and Ethyl alcohol 15.17, (>25% but <99% by volume) 15.19.6 Biofuel blends of Diesel/gas X S/P 2 2G Cont No - - Yes C T ABC No 15.12, oil and Alkanes (C10-C26), 15.17, linear and branched with a 15.19.6 flashpoint > 60oC (>25% but <99% by volume) Biofuel blends of Diesel/gas X S/P 2 2G Cont No T3 IIA No C F-T ABC No 15.12, oil and Alkanes (C10-C26), 15.17, linear and branched with a 15.19.6 flashpoint ≤ 60oC (>25% but <99% by volume) 4.2.2 With respect to new biofuels identified as falling under the scope of these guidelines, carriage requirements for specific biofuel/petroleum oil blends to be shipped as MARPOL Annex II cargoes will be incorporated into List 1 of the MEPC.2/Circular, as appropriate.